Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-26

IL.
made rush and sent the flames OF the street
lamps quavering: and when at last they had
mounted TO the Royal Terrace, where Capt Mac
kenzie lived, great salt freshness came IN their
faces from the sea These phases OF the walk re-
manned written on Johns memory, each en-
ph2siZed by the touch OF that light hand on his
arm AMI oehlnd all these aspects or the nocturnal
city ne saw, In his minds eve, a picture OF the
lighted drawlng-room ut home where he had sat
taking with Flora and his father, from the other
emu, had looked on with Kind and ironical smile.
John had read the significance OF that smile which
might have escaped a stranger. Mr. Nicholson
mad remarked his sons enlargement with salts
IactlOn tlnged by hunor; and his smile, II ft still
sent.
AT the captains door the girl held out her hand
Win certain emphasis; and John took IL and
kept it little longer, and said: GOOD light,
Flora, DEAR and was Instantly thrown into much
lear by his presumption But she only laughed
ran up the steps, and rang the bell; and while
she was waiting for the door TO open kept close In
the porch, and talked to him from that point as
over her head, ner blue Highland eyes took the
light from the neighDonDg street lamp and
sparkled; and when the door opened and closed
upon her John felt cruelty alone.
He proceeded slowly back along the terrace In a
tender glow; and when he came 10 Greenside
church he halted In doubtful mind over the
crown OF the Cation Hill, TO his left lay the way
10 COlettes, where Alan would soon be looking for
his arrival, and where he would now have no more
consented TO go than he would have wifully
wallOwed In bog; the touch OF the girls hand on
his sleeve ana the kindly hight OF his fathers eyes,
both loudly forbidding. But right before him was
the way home, which pointed only TO bed, place
OF little ease for one whose fancy was strung to
the ~ neal pitch, and whose not very ardent heart
was just then tumultuously moved. The hill top,
the cool air OF the night the company of the great
monuments the sight OF the city under his feet,
with its hills and valleys and crossing files OF
lamps. drew him by all he had OF the poetic, and
he turned that way; and by that quite innocent
DETECTION, rpened the crop or his venial errors for
the sickle OF destiny.
on a seat on the hill above Greenside he sat TOR
perhaps half an hour, looking down upon the lamps
or Edinburgh, and up at the lamps of heaven
wonderful were the resolves he formed; beautiful
and kindly were the yistaS OF future life that sped
before him. He uttered to himself the name Of
Flora In so many touching and dramatic keys that
he became at length fairly melted with tenderness,
ana could have sung aloud AT that 1uncture
certain creasing In his great coat caught his ear
He put his hand into his pocket, pulled forth the
envelope that held the money, and sat Stupef1ed.
The Cation Hill, about this period, had an fIaame
OF nights; and to be sitting there with f4OO That
did not belong TO him was hardly wise. He looked
up. There was man In very bad hat, little on
one side or him, apparently looking at the scenery;
from a little on the other a second night-walker
The envelope fell from his hands; he stopped to
get IL, ana at the same moment both men ran In
and closed with him.
a little after he got to his feet very sore and
shaken, the poorer by purse which contained ex-
actly one penny postage stamp by cambria hand
kerchiei, and by the aIl-important envelope.
Here was young man on whom, at the highest
point OF lovery eXaltatfon, there had fallen blow
too sharp to be supported alone; and not many
hundred yards away his greatest friend was sit
ting at Supper-aye, and even expecting him.
Was II not in the nature of man that he should
run there? He went in quest Of sympathy-in
quest OF that drOll article that we all suppose our
selves TO want when in a strait, and have agreed
10 call advice; and he went besides with vague
but rather splendid expectations OF relief Alan
was itch, or would be so when he came OF age.
BY stroke OF the pen he might remedy this mis-
fortune and avert that dreaded interview with Mr.
Nicholson, from which John now shrank In imagi-
nation as the hand draws back from fire.
Close under the Cation II! there runs q certain
narrow avenue, part street, part by-road. The
head OF IL faces the doors OF the prison; its tail de-
ScendS into the sunless SlllmS OF the Low Cation
ON one hand II Is OverhuDg by the crags OF the hill
on the other by an old graveyard. Between these
two the roadW ay runs in trench, sparsely lighted
at night, sparsely requented by day, and bOrdered
when IL has cleared the place or tOmbs by dingy
and ambiguous houses. one OF these was the
house or COlette, and at his door our ill-starred
John was presently beating for admittance In
an evil hour he satisfied the jealous inquiries OF
the cOntraband hotei-keeper; In an evil hour he
penetrated into the somewhat unSavory interior
Alan, TO be sure, was there seated in room lit by
noisy gas jets beside dirty tableclOth, engaged
on coarse meal, and In the company OF several
tipsy members or the junior bar. But Alan was
not sober; he had lost a thousand pounds upon a
horse-race; had received the news at dinner time,
and was now Ia default OF any possible means OF
extrfcation drowning the memory OF his predica-
ment. He TO help John, The thing was impOs-
sible; he couldn't help himself.
III you have beast OF a father said he, 81
can tell you have a brute OF a trustee"
I'm not going 70 hear my father called BEAST
said John, with a beating heart feeling that he
risked the last sound rvet OF the chain that bound
him TO life.
But Alan was quite good-natured
"AH Tight, old Fellow" said he, mos respectable
man your father" And he introduced his friend
20 his companions as ''Old Nicholson the what
dye-call-um '5 son."
John sat in dumb agony. Colette's foul walls
and maculate table linen, and even down to Col
cites vtllainOus casters, seemed ike objects In
nightmare. And just then there came a knock
and scurrying; the police, so lamentably absent
from the Cation Hill, appeared upon the scene;
and the party, taken Hdgrdnte deiicto, with their
glasses at their elbows, were seized, marched up
10 the police officer and all duly summoned 10 APP
pear as witnesses In the consequent case against
that arch-shebeener Collette.
II was sorrow1ul and nightly sobered COM
pany that came forth again. The vague terror Of
public opinion weighed generally on them all; but
there were private and particular horrors on the
minds Of individuals. Alan stood In dread OF his
trustee, already sorely tried one OF the group
was the son OF country minister, another OF
Judge; John, the unhappiest OF all, had David
Nicholson to father, the idea Of facing whom on
such scandaiouS subject was physically scken-
ing. They stood awhile consulting under the but
tresseS OF Saint Giles; thence they adjourned to
the lodgings OF one OF the number In North Castle
street. where Q0r that matter they might have
had quite as good supper, and far better drink,
than IN the dangerous paradise from which they
had been routed. There, over an almost fearful
glass, they debated their position Each explained
he had the world 10 lose II the affair went on and
he appeared as witness. II was remarkable
what bright prospects were inst then i'm the very
OF youths, and what piOUS consideration for the
feelings OF their families began now TO we'll from
them. Each, moreover, was in odd state OF deS-
titution. No one could bear his share OF the fine;
not one but eylnced a wonderful twinkle OF hope
that each OF the others On succession) was the
very man who could step in TO make GOOD the de-
ncit- one took high hand; he could not pay his
share II II went TO trial he should bolt; he had
always felt the English bar TO be his true sphere
Another branched out into touching details about
his family, and was not listened to. John, In the
midst OF this disordery competition OF poverty and
meanhesS, sat stunned, contemplating the noun
tain bulk OF his misfortunes
AT last, upon pledge that each should apply to
his family with common frankness, this cOnven-
ton OF unhappy young asses broke up, went down
the common stair. and In the grey OF the spring
with the streets lyirg dead empty ali
about them, the lamps burning on into the day.
light In diminished luster, and the birds begin
ming 10 sound promonitory notes from the groves
OF The town gardens, went each his own way with
bowed head and echoing football.
The rocks were awake In Randolph Crescent:
but the windows looked down, discreetly blinded
on the return OF the prOdlgal Johns pass-key
was recent privilege; this was the first time IL
had been used; and, o! with what a sickening
sense OF his unworthiness, he Inserted 1t into
the weli-Oiled lock and entered that citadel of the
properties. All slept; the gas In the hall had
been left Iaintly burning 10 light his return;
dreadful stiffness reigned, broken by the deep
ticking OF the eight-day clock. He put the gas out
and sat on chair In the hail. waiting and count
Ing the minutes, longing for any human counte-
nance But When at last he heard the alarm
spring It's rattle In the lower story and the
servants begin TO be about, he Instantly lost heart
anu ned 70 Ills own room, where he threw himself
upon the bed.
CHAPTER Ill.
IN WHICH JOHN ENJOYS THE HARVEST HOME.